1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a hanger assembly for a sliding screen door and more particularly to a hanger assembly for a sliding screen door that allows for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the screen door relative to the frame for the screen door and equal hanging support for the screen door, smooth and continuous operation of the screen door, and the conversion or replacement of an existing screen door from sliding along a bottom track to a screen door that slides along a horizontally top mounted track.
2. Description of Prior Art
Sliding screen doors of the type used for the common sliding patio door have a myriad of problems associated with them due to the typical design whereby the screen door slides on rollers in a bottom track. These problems include difficult operation such as dragging and skipping, often, due to dirt and debris clogging the bottom track and the fact that the mechanism is often exposed to the weather due to its position, the tendency to xe2x80x9cpop offxe2x80x9d the bottom track, and the inability of the screen to be adjusted to fit an uneven frame. As such, many sliding screen doors are either in disrepair, from acts such as pushing too hard on the door in order to move it, are removed due to the problems and not replaced as the same problems will occur again, and/or are not used.
While there are a number of prior art patents that show hanger assemblies for adjustably supporting doors for sliding movement along a horizontally disposed track, not one shows or suggests an assembly for use with a screen door. The prior art hanger assemblies are shown being used or suggest use only with interior sliding pocket doors, shower doors, closet doors and sound absorption panels. In addition, the prior art does not show a hanger assembly that allows for simple, economical and complete adjustability i.e. vertical and horizontal adjustability of any type of door in combination with the hanger assembly providing equal hanging support on both sides of a door in order to maintain smooth and continuous sliding movement of the door.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,005 to Dishaw discloses a sliding door hanger that allows for vertical adjustment only via a specially manufactured threaded bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,891 to Gardner discloses a panel structure with a hanger that allows for vertical adjustment only via an inclined slot at its upper end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,942 to Edeus discloses a hanger assembly for sliding doors that allows for vertical adjustment only through the use of a circular hand wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,612 to Procton discloses a hanger assembly that utilizes parallel angularly displaced slots for permitting horizontal and vertical positioning of a door.
Accordingly, several objects of the present invention are to provide:
a. continuous, smooth and easy operation of a sliding screen door, with reduction in dragging and skipping;
b. a design whereby the operating mechanism is protected from the weather;
c. a simply way to convert or to replace existing sliding screen doors to top rolling sliding screen doors whereby the bottom existing rollers operate as guides only;
d. for simple installation and conversion or replacement of screen doors due to the ability to adjust the top mounting assembly to fit uneven frames;
e. for a device that adapts to industry standard replacement screens, custom screens, or existing screens; and
f. to provide for a screen that stays in the roller track.
These and further objects will be apparent from the following description and drawings of the preferred embodiments thereof.
The invention is the use of a top mounting hanger assembly with sliding screen doors that allows for both vertical and horizontal adjustability of the screen door while equally supporting the screen door on both sides of the door. The hanger assembly generally comprises a track horizontally mounted within a door frame and a roller assembly, the roller assembly including a roller for horizontal movement along the track and a holder, said holder including a connector bar attached to the roller at one end and a bracket shaped to fit snugly around a screen door. The bracket also includes a slot for adjustability of the screen door within the bracket. Preferably, the track is an integral molded extrusion that includes a c shaped area with lips that retain the roller assembly roller within the track, and upwardly extending flanges and a downwardly extending c shaped area that together interlock and allow two track pieces to fit together thereby reducing bulkiness in shipping. The track preferably also includes a horizontally extending xe2x80x9cbug stripxe2x80x9d that acts to prevent weathering of the hanger assembly. Preferably, two roller assemblies are utilized per screen door, one attached at each end of the screen door, and include two rollers per roller assembly. The roller assembly holder is also an integrally molded extrusion and the bracket portion is in the shape of a U, the U shaped portion including the slot, which is preferably either vertically disposed for vertical adjustment of the screen door, or angularly disposed for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the screen door.